Little Wolf Ranch
Well-Known Member
Let me say that I am a pinto lover through and through - never even really gave thought into owning an Appaloosa. I love my flashy blue eyes, and the splash and frame pintos - the wilder the pattern the better. I've just moved out to TX to be with my fiancé who is in the Army and could not bring my minis or two riding horses with me, just couldn't afford to haul them so far from SC and didn't want to risk any lost pregnancies, so I left them in the loving hands of my extended family who just so happens to breed and show APHA paints so I know they are in excellent hands on their 63 acre ranch. With being in TX....and away from my horses....I started getting depressed - no horses = nothing to do = boredom = depression and missing my sweeties back home.
So I started looking into the stables on post - not only did I find out that they have VERY strict rules and guidelines about the property, it is all self-care boarding but they make sure that every horse there is monitored 24/7 - at the top of every hour they have a stable hand (even at night) walk the stalls and paddocks to make sure everyone is in their place and that all is safe and sound, just in case someone were to escape or colic. Every horse must be kept on a 6 week farrier & deworming schedule, bi-annual shots schedule and yearly coggins schedule and to top it off they require that the water troughs be cleaned atleast bi-weekly and all manure your horses stall and adjacent paddock must be picked daily - I must say that I haven't seen a fly there not ONCE! I was thrilled - and everyones horses are beautifully kept and even though the stalls aren't high-dollar quality - safety and easy of use is top priority, and it's "humble and beautiful". I was afraid that on a budget we couldn't afford to board there (most self-care board starts at $175 around here) but to my surprise it was only $70 per month per horse, which includes 12x12 stall with adjoining 24x48 dry lot paddock, private & locked 12x10 tack/feed room and additional private & locked 10x8 metal storage unit for square hay bales. Needless to say I was/still am thrilled!
So we got lucky and reserved the *literally* last open stall available and then the hunt for a mini began! I wanted one that *needed* a home, not just a mini that was for sale. Something I could earn their trust, but had potential for in-hand jumping, obstacle, showmanship and driving. I posted in several places and finally one horse's description caught my attention - a little three year old filly that he had rescued from a neglectful home, he was keeping her older full sister and dam but wanted to find a home for this little girl. He sent me pictures from the first day she was rescued, and the conditions she was in - and bless her heart she has made such a change!
To my surprise when I saw the first set of pictures, I was like "Oh, okay....she's an appaloosa....hmmm....that'd be a first for me." So I scheduled an appointment to see her that same day and fell in love. Unfortunately she hasn't been handled much so isn't an in-your-pocket type of mini and hard to catch at the moment but she's curious, playful - and a "thinker" so I know all she needs is time, patience and training (and obviously tons of love and butt scratches) and she will make for such a darling little mare. Not to mention for a smaller mini she has a lot of reach in her trot - not the "high knee action" but more of a hunter's trot - long and extended stride.
She doesn't have papers to mine or his knowledge - but heck I don't care. The thought of AMHA hardshipping crossed my mind, but I am still in the air about that....we are only 2 hours away from AMHA Worlds so finding a steward, and her making under 34" (she's 31" if she's lucky) would be no problem but when I started the search, I wanted a mini I could just own, love and keep me busy - not breeding....and she's my girl. Not really sure who "rescued" who, me giving her a loving forever home or her preventing another round of depression for me - but I think we will help each other just fine.
We are hoping to pick her up this weekend...we will have to put her in quarantine with the vet on post for 10 days and then she can move to her permanent stall over at the regular post stables and we can start some serious training.
I am curious though, since I know nothing about appaloosas - can someone tell me what base color and what pattern you think she is? I do know that her dam is a full leopard appaloosa - and a gorgeous one at that. She isn't a base color I have ever seen before....more like a lighter "milk chocolate" color.....maybe smokey black? I know I have heard that sometimes the appaloosa patterns can cause the base colors to look different than they actually are, but I do know that she isn't sun-bleached....unfortunately I have way too much experience with sun-bleached blacks lol.
So here is my new little girl....we have affectionately named her "Kiko" (pronounced kee-ko)
EDITED TO ASK:
I am reading about the night blindness in appys.....how common is it and should I go ahead and have her tested?
So I started looking into the stables on post - not only did I find out that they have VERY strict rules and guidelines about the property, it is all self-care boarding but they make sure that every horse there is monitored 24/7 - at the top of every hour they have a stable hand (even at night) walk the stalls and paddocks to make sure everyone is in their place and that all is safe and sound, just in case someone were to escape or colic. Every horse must be kept on a 6 week farrier & deworming schedule, bi-annual shots schedule and yearly coggins schedule and to top it off they require that the water troughs be cleaned atleast bi-weekly and all manure your horses stall and adjacent paddock must be picked daily - I must say that I haven't seen a fly there not ONCE! I was thrilled - and everyones horses are beautifully kept and even though the stalls aren't high-dollar quality - safety and easy of use is top priority, and it's "humble and beautiful". I was afraid that on a budget we couldn't afford to board there (most self-care board starts at $175 around here) but to my surprise it was only $70 per month per horse, which includes 12x12 stall with adjoining 24x48 dry lot paddock, private & locked 12x10 tack/feed room and additional private & locked 10x8 metal storage unit for square hay bales. Needless to say I was/still am thrilled!
So we got lucky and reserved the *literally* last open stall available and then the hunt for a mini began! I wanted one that *needed* a home, not just a mini that was for sale. Something I could earn their trust, but had potential for in-hand jumping, obstacle, showmanship and driving. I posted in several places and finally one horse's description caught my attention - a little three year old filly that he had rescued from a neglectful home, he was keeping her older full sister and dam but wanted to find a home for this little girl. He sent me pictures from the first day she was rescued, and the conditions she was in - and bless her heart she has made such a change!
To my surprise when I saw the first set of pictures, I was like "Oh, okay....she's an appaloosa....hmmm....that'd be a first for me." So I scheduled an appointment to see her that same day and fell in love. Unfortunately she hasn't been handled much so isn't an in-your-pocket type of mini and hard to catch at the moment but she's curious, playful - and a "thinker" so I know all she needs is time, patience and training (and obviously tons of love and butt scratches) and she will make for such a darling little mare. Not to mention for a smaller mini she has a lot of reach in her trot - not the "high knee action" but more of a hunter's trot - long and extended stride.
She doesn't have papers to mine or his knowledge - but heck I don't care. The thought of AMHA hardshipping crossed my mind, but I am still in the air about that....we are only 2 hours away from AMHA Worlds so finding a steward, and her making under 34" (she's 31" if she's lucky) would be no problem but when I started the search, I wanted a mini I could just own, love and keep me busy - not breeding....and she's my girl. Not really sure who "rescued" who, me giving her a loving forever home or her preventing another round of depression for me - but I think we will help each other just fine.
We are hoping to pick her up this weekend...we will have to put her in quarantine with the vet on post for 10 days and then she can move to her permanent stall over at the regular post stables and we can start some serious training.
I am curious though, since I know nothing about appaloosas - can someone tell me what base color and what pattern you think she is? I do know that her dam is a full leopard appaloosa - and a gorgeous one at that. She isn't a base color I have ever seen before....more like a lighter "milk chocolate" color.....maybe smokey black? I know I have heard that sometimes the appaloosa patterns can cause the base colors to look different than they actually are, but I do know that she isn't sun-bleached....unfortunately I have way too much experience with sun-bleached blacks lol.
So here is my new little girl....we have affectionately named her "Kiko" (pronounced kee-ko)
EDITED TO ASK:
I am reading about the night blindness in appys.....how common is it and should I go ahead and have her tested?
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